Why Your Restaurant Needs a Menu Consultant

A menu is what makes a restaurant. Sure, you can offer an incredible ambiance, have a desirable location, and hire a top-notch team to serve your guests. But the menu is the piece of the puzzle that gets people through the door and keeps them coming back for more.

If you don’t spend a lot of time, thought, and energy on your menu, you’re not spending it on your guests.

A consultant (like myself!) can come in with a fresh pair of eyes and provide an outside perspective on your menu’s overall design. Here’s what we consider:

Offerings and Price

Just because an item is a customer favorite doesn’t mean it’s your most profitable item. A restaurant could be selling a ton of filets because they underpriced them, but food costs would be through the roof. When we meet with restaurants, we identify both the best sellers and the best profit makers on their menus. Then we ask, how can we make sure those are the same?

The fact is, everything that sells can’t be the most expensive on the menu. Take off some items that are too expensive while providing ones that are most cost-effective for you.

You also don’t want to overwhelm your guests by offering too many items. While some restaurants can get away with a massive “book” of a menu (think Cheesecake Factory), it’s not for every restaurant. Selling more items doesn’t always mean making more money.

Design and Layout

Are you unintentionally calling attention to the lowest-selling items? Fix it by updating the menu layout.

The design can influence what people’s eyes are attracted to the most. A great layout thinks about where a customer’s eyes go first, second, third, and so on, making sure you’re highlighting the items you do want to sell. Also, be sure to keep the design on-brand for your restaurant, no matter the restaurant type. A fancy steakhouse should not have a cartoon menu.

Ready to give your menu a fresh makeover? Let’s find your restaurant’s bread and butter. Fill out a contact form to set up an initial consult with Salt & Cayenne today. Cheers!